The Cecil Whig., 1887-12-24

Poor Joe Ii was terrible disap-
pointment to him that, after studying
so hard, Standiford should be sent up
a section, while he remained in the
third, to which he had fallen a month
after entering the academy. Every
cadet in the section thought that oe
would be transferred up, for his recita
tions during the past two weeks were
so much better than any of the others.
No one thought because Standiford
mad correctly solved the test problem q
few days before, and which all the other
cadets had failed on, that it would at
all affect Joe's standing.
How disappointed the folks at home
would be and they had all sacrificed
50 much to send him to West Point,
and the poor, widowed mother wished
50 strongly to have her boy follow the
footsteps of his father, and go through
the academy with honor.
If there was any cadet in the fourth
class at the United States Military
Academy who was under special obli-
cations to Zoe Howard, it was Harry
Standiford. loe had helped him with
his lessons many a time, and Harry
promised time and time again to do a
good turn for Joe. And now the op-
portunity had occurred, and Harry had
said nothing to Joe about the problem,
which he had found already worked out
in little book given him by his prede-
cessor a. the academy.
As the cadets marched. back across
the beautiful parade ground af>er the
evening parade, Joe's heart was indeed
heavy, for there was now no chance of
going up before next term in January.
After the ranks were broken, Walter
Brown, his classmate, said while they
were taking off their guns and equip
ments, preparatory to going down to
the roll cali for supper:
81 say, Joe, that was mean trick Of
old Cory to keep you down in the third
section. while he sent Standiford up.
Your marks have been the best right
along for the last month, and you ought
to 90 up. I'd ike to know how Standi-
ford got the pull on old Cory"
Old Cory, as he was thus familiarly
termed by the cadets, was captain in
the army, and an instructor in mathe-
matics. He was not liked by any oi
the cadets.
"Oh, it was all right, Walter" re-
piled Zoe, brzvely. Cory said in Civ
ing out the problem that it was a test,
and would satisfy him better than any
thing else as to how much we had
thoroughly learned thi. term, if we
worked it out. OF course | feel pretty
bad over it, but didn't get the problem
and Standiford did, and that is all there
is to it."
"Well, I'm willing to bet a good deal
that Harry Standiford never worked
that problem out himself. He got some
one to show him." said Walter.
ut may be, but how are you going
to prove it1' asked Joe. "He said he
worked it out, and he certainly ex-
planned it all 10 the complete satisfac-
ton of old Cory.
Just then the drum beating the call
to supper put an end to the discussion,
and the boys hurried down stars to get
in ranks.
After supper was over and call tC
quarters had sounded, Joe, who was q
member of the guard that evening
found himself posted as a sentinel il
the sixth division.
Harry Standiford lived in room or
the ground-hUor of this division, sc
Joe, in pacing up and down, passed h:
door, and thus happened to hear hi
own name mentioned.
He would have paid no attention te
it, but that he heard at the same time
the words
Stuck up prig Thinks, because hi
father was a friend of Supc's, he can dc
anything he pleases. He expects
corporaIship next spring, but he won
get IT, I'm glad he dIdn 60 up to day
It'll teach him a lesson not to presum